J E R E M I A H —prophet to Judah, late seventh and early sixth centuries Introductory Material 1. Date Jer. 1:2-3, from 13th year of Josiah to 11th year of Zedekiah Josiah 640-609 BC (13th year = 627 BC) Jehoahaz 609 (= Shallum in 22:11-12) Jehoiakim 609-597 Jehoiachin 597 (13:18-19; 22:24-30; cf. 2 Kings 24:12, 15) Zedekiah 597-587 (11th year = 587 BC) —these verses indicate range 627-587 BC Jer. 25:1-3, 23 years, from 13th year of Josiah to 4th year of Jehoiakim, which was also first year of Nebuchadnezzar Josiah’s 13th year = 627 BC Jehoiakim’s 4th year = Nebuchadnezzar’s 1st year = 605 BC 605 a big year for Jeremiah; cf. 36:1,2 - wrote prophecy up to that point (burned in 36:23) Jer. 40-44, story of Jews in Jerusalem after 605 BC includes Jews under governor Gedaliah and commander Johanan, with refugees going to Egypt date, ca. 580 BC (?) Jer. 52:31-34, record of elevation of Jehoiachin in Babylon 37th year of Jehoiachin’s exile = 561 BC accession of Evil-Merodach (= Amel-Marduk) = 562 BC Conclusion: about a 65-year ministry, 627-561 BC about age 21-86 Jeremiah.1 2. The prophet Jeremiah Jeremiah’s family 1:1, priestly family territory of Benjamin Anathoth, Levite city, 1-1/4 miles north of Jerusalem (Josh. 21:18); Abiathar lived there after he was deposed for helping Adonijah against Solomon (1 Kings 2:26) father Hilkiah, probably not the Hilkiah of 2 Kings 22-23, who found the law under Josiah (that one lived in Jerusalem and was of the line of Zadok) probably born about the same time as Josiah was born, 648 BC 16:1-2, not married Jeremiah’s call recorded in Jer. 1 emphasis on being able to be a prophet, “a child” (cf. I Tim. 4:12) Jeremiah’s reception had royal favor until 609 BC, then opposition 2 Chron. 35:25, “Jeremiah lamented for Josiah” Jeremiah’s ministry brave in the face of opposition —he preached surrender, 2:8,9; 38:2 7:2, stand in the temple 17:19, in the gates of the city 22:1, in the gate of the king’s house the “weeping prophet” 4:19; 8:20-22; 9:1; 10:19, 23-24; Lam. 1:16 Jeremiah.2 9:1 Oh, that my head were waters, And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people! in spite of all, a burning compulsion to preach, 20:7-9 3. Historical background (for earlier history, see under Micah) 622 BC, revival in Judah under King Josiah 612 BC, Nabopolassar of Babylon, along with the Scythians, destroys Nineveh; Ashuru-ballit II leads Assyrians to Haran 609 BC, Josiah dies at Megiddo trying to prevent Egyptian Pharaoh Neco II from helping the Assyrians against the Babylonians Josiah’s son Jehoahaz reigns only 3 months, is taken by Neco to Egypt, where he later dies Neco installs a second son of Josiah, Eliakim (= Jehoiakim), as a vassal king in Judah 605 BC, battle of Carchemish; Nebuchadnezzar defeats Neco and the Assyrians and begins captivity of Judah; he makes Jehoiakim his vassal, and carries away captives, including Daniel and his three friends during this year Jeremiah sends his scroll to King Jehoiakim (Jer. 36) 597 BC (March 15-16 per Babylonian Chronicle); Jehoiachin rebels, is taken with his family to Babylon as a captive, along with 10,000 other Jews (the “good figs” of Jer. 24, like Ezekiel’s family) *Archives at the Ishtar gate of Babylon mention provision for “Yaukin, king of Yahud” Nebuchadnezzar installs Jehoiachin’s uncle (another son of Josiah’s) as vassal-king, Zedekiah Zedekiah is the one who had Jeremiah thrown in a pit 589 BC, Zedekiah rebels against Babylon 588-587 BC, Nebuchadnezzar comes again, besieges Jerusalem, captures and destroys the city, kills Zedekiah and his children, installs Gedaliah as governor; takes nearly all the survivors in captivity to Babylon; leaves Jeremiah and only a few poor people ca. 580 BC (?), Ishmael leads plot to kill Gedaliah Johanan takes over; the people decide to flee to Egypt; Jeremiah goes with them 562 BC, Evil-Merodach (Amel-Marduk) succeeds father Nebuchadnezzar as king of Babylon Evil-Merodach allows captive Jehoiachin more comfortable conditions in Babylon Prophets contemporary with Jeremiah’s earlier ministry: Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk Prophets contemporary with Jeremiah’s later ministry: Daniel, Ezekiel Jeremiah.3 4. Unity and authorship of Jeremiah Arguments against the unity of Jeremiah are based solely on unproved critical theories, assuming that parts of Jeremiah must be later than the prophet: 10:1-16 quotes “Deutero-Isaiah” 17:19-27 depends on the P document ch. 30-31 teaches a later “messianic hope” A major problem with Jeremiah is the original text of the book. 1) The LXX is 1/8 shorter (2700 words) than the MT (massoretic text). The DSS manuscripts are divided, some of the MT type, others of the LXX type. 2) Also, the order of the LXX text is different: (approximate LXX order) ch. 1-25 ch. 45-51 ch. 25-45 (See Gleason Archer article for LXX relation of Jeremiah to MT: Trinity Journal 12:2:135-150, Fall 1991.) Some have suggested the possibility of two original editions produced by Jeremiah himself (cf. 36:32). It is possible that ch. 52, coming much later than the bulk of the prophecy, was appended by Baruch. There are chronological flashbacks throughout the book, but many synchronisms. The order appears related to the subject matter, to emphasize for each new king the history leading up to him. The oriental mind is not necessarily chronological, but may deliberately use repetition for the sake of emphasis and teaching. 5. Archaeological notes Babylonian Chronicles of Nebuchadnezzar esp. for the years near 600 BC includes Jehoiachin’s captivity in 597 AD: Jeremiah.4 “Year 7, month Kislimu: The King of Akkad moved his army into Hatti land, laid siege to the city of Judah (Ia-a-bu-du) and the king took the city on the second day of the month Addaru. He appointed in it a (new) king of his liking [Zedekiah], took heavy booty from it and brought it into Babylon.” (ANET, p. 564; see D. J. Wiseman, Chronicles of Chaldaean Kings in the British Museum, p. 73, plate 5, script on plates 14-16) Lachish Ostraka found at Lachish in 1932-38 by J. L. Starkey carbon ink on pottery pieces, Old Hebrew script written by military captain Hoshaiah to his superior Joash in Lachish during Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Lachish in 588 BC (cf. Jer. 34:7) *mention “the prophet” pictures in Michael Avi-Yonah, ed., History of the Holy Land, p. 104; text in ANET, p. 322 Tablet confirming Nebuchadnezzar’s "chief officer," Nebo-Sarsekim, with Nebz at the siege of Jerusalem in 587 BC: Jer 39 Tablet translated at British Museum in 2007, confirming the historicity of Nebo-Sarsekim The tablet references this official’s payment of .75 kg of gold to a temple in Babylon For more info: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/11/ntablet111.xml 6. Summary outline of Jeremiah 1. Jeremiah’s call, ch. 1 2. Prophecies against Judah, ch. 2-29 a. Against the people, ch. 2-18 b. Against the rulers, ch. 19-29 3. Prophecies of the Messiah and the restoration, ch. 30-33 4. Disintegration of the kingdom, ch. 34-39 a. Zedekiah’s false liberty proclamation, ch. 34 b. The Rechabites’ good example, ch. 35 c. Jehoiakim burns Jeremiah’s scroll, ch. 36 d. Jeremiah’s experiences during the siege and capture of Jerusalem, ch. 37-39 5. Jeremiah after the captivity, ch. 40-45 Jeremiah.5 a. Jeremiah in Judah, ch. 40-41 b. Decision to go to Egypt, ch. 42-43 c. Prophecies against the stubborn Jews in Egypt, ch. 44 d. Compensation to Baruch (605 BC), ch. 45 6. Prophecies against the nations, ch. 46-51 7. Historical appendix, ch. 52 Dorsey’s chiastic outline of Jeremiah: Outline and Contents of Jeremiah 1. Jeremiah’s call, ch. 1 v. 10, Jeremiah’s ministry Jeremiah.6 cf. God’s providence in 18:7-9; 31:27,28 vv. 11-12, *a pun* almond tree, dq2v6 shaqed I am watching, dq2v` shoqed vv. 13-15, boiling pot, symbol of war eastern armies approach from the north 2. Prophecies against Judah, ch. 2-29 a. Against the people, ch. 2-18 errant wife, 2:2, 32; 3:1-9, 14 hypocrisy under Josiah, 3:10 individual salvation needed, 4:3-4, 14 (vb5K6 cabas, “wash your heart”); 6:16; 9:23-24; 17:14; 18:11 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, … 14 O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved. desolation to come, 4:23-26, 30; 5:15-19; 6:22-23 apostasy, 2:11-13, 28; 5:1, 4, 30-31; 6:7, 10; 7:31 (human sacrifice) total depravity, 13:23; 17:9 17:9 " The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? no peace, 6:14; 8:11 Mosaic covenant repeated and broken, 7:5-7; especially 11:1-13; 17:24-27; 18:1-12 (potter’s vessel) worthless idols and superstitions, 10:2-5 God’s power, 10:6-16 Jeremiah’s sympathy, 4:19-26; 8:18-22; 9:1; 13:17; 14:17; cf.